Twice the Heart, Twice the Spirit
by trinitytzen
Summary: Born a healer, branded a witch. Princely deeds come undone. A meager knight lost in life. The heart of a princess trapped in a pauper. A Bulma/Vegeta and Chichi/Goku fic. Free your heart.


Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ.  
  
Twice the Heart, Twice the Spirit  
By Stacey Lui  
Stacey_lui@hotmail.com  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Again. Strike me again, Kakorat," Vegeta shouted across the short distance between them. Both men were heaving from pure exhaustion, but neither would admit their weariness. It was not yet dawn and the stars still shone brightly in the sky. Goku and Vegeta paced around in circles both clutching their swords in a tight grasp. In an instant the men charged at each other, a deafening war cry escaping both of their mouths. The sound of swords clanging furiously began to rise from the cloud of dirt. Fighting only with pure excellence and talent beyond any legendary hero, the two men continued with efficient strokes; striking each other at the most deadly points.   
  
Vegeta quickly began to attack on the offensive. Furiously bringing down his sword upon Goku he shouted, "Come Kakorat! Show me your true power!" Goku grunted as he easily prevented Vegeta's sword from contacting with his body. They briefly exchanged a mutual glare.   
  
"So be it," Goku whispered, drawing his blade into a fighting stance. Vegeta backed off and smirked raising his sword in a similar position.  
  
"It's about time." As usual Vegeta was first to strike but was quickly defaulted. Vegeta's eyes widened as he soon found himself on the dirt floor with Goku's blade pricking his neck.  
  
Goku slowly withdrew his sword and reached down to help Vegeta stand back on his feet. Vegeta snarled and swatted the oncoming hand. "Impressive," Vegeta muttered as he stood up on his own accord. "Damned impressive. To think a third class knight, such as yourself, could defeat a prince."   
  
Goku sighed, "Your majesty. My actions are as you commanded."  
  
"Right." Vegeta glared at the knight. To imagine that someone so unworthy could defeat his so easily, though would not have done it without his commanding the action. How many people could have easily killed him, though did not out of respect and fear. Fear of what? Not of his strength for it was proven that a meager soldier could defeat him easily. Then of what? The legacy of his family? It is true that the line of Vegeta has gone back many generations, ingraining itself in the history of man. But that was not enough to keep the loyalty of the masses. Many nights these questions plagued his dreams. Without true power, he was nothing, not worthy of the crown he will bear on the fateful day of his father's death. His father, King Vegeta, was always pushing himself and the kingdom by conquering every neighboring country. And it was known to all that the campaigns will one day kill him, leaving the kingdom in the hands of a spoiled ignorant prince. Yes, he knew what the commoners though of him. And that they only stayed their hands due to their respect for his father. The day he becomes king will be hell. Vegeta sighed.  
  
"Your majesty," Goku started. "The sun has risen and the castle awakens."  
  
"Father awakens then," Vegeta turned to Goku. "You are dismissed to do as you please for the day or until I summon you." Goku nodded and smiled.  
  
"Till then, prince."  
  
  
"You wish to see me father," Vegeta stated instead of asking. The room was dark, apparently the servants have not yet drawn the curtains. His father was dressing in the corner. Vegeta could hear the various pieces of armor clang together. "Leaving again are you?"  
  
"Yes," the man replied gruffly. "The empire will grow larger with this battle. The barbarians in the North are growing dangerous in numbers. It is time that we must eliminate them. And perhaps peace will soon follow." Vegeta smiled at that ironic statement. It was his father that disrupted the peace, he was the offender while other countries were the victims. "Whilst I am on my expedition the kingdom is yours. The castle in under your rule, treat it well."  
  
  
Vegeta still couldn't believe the words that his father had said, even now, three months later the words still seemed distant to him. "Prince," Goku said while riding up to him. The horse jumped up and neighed as it approached Vegeta's stallion. "The village we seek is to the north; no farther than a day's ride."  
  
"Let's go then."  
  
  
Goku brushed his cape away from his arms. He then chided his horse to keep up with Vegeta's stallion. The prince rode quickly for a man that did not know where he was going. Life was always elusive in Goku's eyes. As an orphan Goku has never known true luxury of having a family to love or to be loved. Not like the prince. Goku sighed deeply and then took a deep breath of the morning brisk air. When his parents died in the fire that took half of the kingdom, Goku was sent immediately to the castle where he began his training as a knight. Through vigorous exercises he learned to ignore the deep abyss of his need of love. Though trying to keep up good humor through it all, but eventually the burden of his emptiness began to swallow him whole. He became absentminded of the world around him, stopped trying to reach out to his fellow knights; which became pointless through the fact that they died before any real foundation was made in their friendship, and then solely devoted himself to his training. This was the state that the King had discovered him. Goku was deemed worthy to spar with the prince. Every morning before the sun rose the prince and the knight would meet, this is the closest Goku has ever come to having a brother.   
  
"Sir, what are we doing out here?" Goku asked as he rode up next to Vegeta.   
  
"Since my father left," Vegeta hesitated and turned to face Goku. Kakarot was the closest person that he could call a friend, a true friend not like the political leeches that hung around his father. Goku waited patiently for Vegeta to continue. "I find myself trying to please the masses. Such a mundane chore! A complaint has been issued that a witch lives in the village. We are here to eliminate the threat." 


End file.
